E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)
What is E-A-T?
E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It is a framework used by Google to assess the quality of content on websites. This concept is crucial for ensuring that users are provided with reliable, accurate, and high-quality information. E-A-T is not a direct ranking factor but influences website evaluation through Google’s Quality Raters’ Guidelines, which in turn can affect a site’s search engine rankings.
- Expertise refers to the depth of knowledge and skill that the content creator has in a specific field or topic. It indicates that the content is written by someone who is well-qualified to discuss the topic at hand, whether through formal education, professional experience, or a demonstrated deep understanding of the subject.
- Authoritativeness measures the credibility of the website publishing the content, as well as the content itself. It involves the site’s reputation among other experts and authoritative sites in the same field. Authoritativeness is established through external factors such as backlinks from reputable sites, mentions, and positive reviews.
- Trustworthiness assesses the reliability and honesty of the content, the content creator, and the website. It involves factors such as site security, clear identification of content creators, accurate and truthful information, and the presence of legitimate contact information.
Why is E-A-T important?
Healthcare Websites: A medical website authored by licensed healthcare professionals with articles reviewed by peers in the medical community, exemplifies high E-A-T. Such a site would likely rank well for health-related queries due to its expertise and trustworthiness.
Financial Advisory Services: A financial advice website run by certified financial planners or industry experts, offering evidence-based advice, can achieve high E-A-T scores, enhancing its visibility for finance-related searches.
Educational Content: Websites that provide educational material, written or curated by experts in the respective fields, and endorsed by educational institutions or authoritative bodies, showcase high E-A-T levels.
How does E-A-T work?
E-A-T works by guiding Google’s Quality Raters to evaluate the quality of content on websites, focusing on the expertise of the content creators, the authoritativeness of the website and its content, and the trustworthiness of both. These evaluations, though not directly affecting rankings algorithmically, influence how Google updates its algorithms to prioritize high-quality, reliable content in search results. Websites demonstrating high levels of expertise, authority, and trust are more likely to rank well, especially for queries where accuracy and reliability are crucial. This framework encourages content creators and website owners to produce well-researched, expertly written, and trustworthy content. Ultimately, E-A-T serves as a quality benchmark that aligns Google’s search results with user expectations for credible and valuable information.
Good to know about E-A-T
Lack of Expertise: Content written by authors without proper qualifications or experience in the topic can lead to low E-A-T scores. For instance, a fitness blog offering medical advice without input from healthcare professionals may be viewed as lacking in expertise.
Poor Reputation: Websites that have received negative reviews, or have been penalized by Google for using black-hat SEO techniques, may struggle to establish authority and trustworthiness.
Misinformation: Publishing inaccurate or misleading information can severely damage a site’s E-A-T. An example of this would be a news site that fails to fact-check its sources, leading to the spread of false information.